‘Rightmove for landlords’ property portal launches after 18-month wait

admin    Uncategorized     agents

A property portal that is claiming to be a ‘Rightmove for landlords’ by enabling buy-to-let investors to search for properties using landlord-friendly data has launched.

Property.xyz is the brainchild of former North West estate agent and property investment consultant Rob Jones (pictured) who has spent the past 18 months preparing and launching the website.

In 2018 he began looking at turning his then one-on-one investment service into a scaleable national platform that would achieve the same outcomes for landlords, but be much simpler to use.

The website soft-launched in August this year but is now ready to roll after months of user testing.

“We wanted to know what extra features investors and landlords needed and how the property search could work better,” says Jones.

Intelligent portal

“Our aim is to build the world’s most intelligent property portal with two key aims for landlords – a new way to search that’s unique for every user including by using yield, buyer demand and house price growth, but also a housing market and ‘investment potential’ research tool.”

Property.xyz is also planning to launch services that will allow much more local and granular data including looking at local yields per square foot, for example, and refurbishment potential.

“It’s the kind of information you’d have to gather yourself either on foot or by phoning up agents and other sources of information,” says Jones.

“There are loads of data sources out there but the skill is bringing it all together into one place that makes sense.”

But it’s the platform’s search function that will attract many landlords and investors, which as well as investment information includes planning and in future is to be upgraded with compliance information such as EPCs, Gas Safe, electrical safety and licensing.

Visit Property.xyz

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – ‘Rightmove for landlords’ property portal launches after 18-month wait | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: ‘Rightmove for landlords’ property portal launches after 18-month wait

OFFICIAL: Private rented sector shrinking outside capital, says latest report

admin    Uncategorized     agents

The government’s latest English Housing Survey of 23.8 million homes has revealed that the number of households within the private rented sector outside London has slipped by 2% since 2018.

This is likely to be used by government to vindicate its ongoing attempts to limit the PRS sector and the multi-billion pound investment in Help to Buy in recent years, which have helped over 1.2 million people out of the PRS and into ownership.

But when London is taken into account, where 28% of all households are within the private rented sector, in England overall it holds steady at 19%.

The survey’s results also show that 7% of all privately rented homes are overcrowded, an increase of 1% on the previous year and the highest level for over 25 year. This means some 308,000 are overcrowded in England.

Also, 12% of dwellings in the social rented sector failed to meet the Decent Homes Standard. This is lower than the proportion of private rented (23%) and owner occupied (16%) homes.

Other highlights of the report:

Safety first?
10% of the housing stock had a HHSRS Category 1 (potentially life threatening) hazard, down from 21% in 2009. Such hazards are more prevalent in the private rented sector (13%) than the owner occupied (10%) or social rented sectors (5%).

Greener renting
The social sector remains more energy efficient than the private sector. In the social rented sector, the majority of dwellings (61%) were in EPC bands A to C, compared with 38% of private rented sector dwellings and 36% of owner occupied dwellings.

Renting most expensive
The mean weekly housing costs for private renters was £200 compared to £172 per week for mortgagors, £96 per week for local authority tenants and £106 for housing association tenants. The average private rent in London was £341 per week (71% higher than the national average).

Deposits more widespread
Despite being a legal requirement only 77% of private renters paid a deposit when moving into a private rented property although this up from 70% a few years ago.

Read the latest English Housing Survey in full.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – OFFICIAL: Private rented sector shrinking outside capital, says latest report | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: OFFICIAL: Private rented sector shrinking outside capital, says latest report

High Court enforcement action against Liverpool City Council

admin    Uncategorized     agents

We have a tip-off that High Court enforcement action is, currently underway against Liverpool City Council, with dozens and dozens of Writs to the tune of around £100k being executed for, what is believed to be, Data Protection/GDPR breaches against a landlord specifically in relation to the running and administration of their BTL property.

The post High Court enforcement action against Liverpool City Council appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: High Court enforcement action against Liverpool City Council

Watch: How to avoid burst pipes

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Watch Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance’s video on how to avoid burst pipes during the colder months

Escape of water in rental properties is often a costly problem for landlords, and with labour and material costs rising, repairs of this nature are only getting more expensive.

A common cause of escape of water is frozen or burst pipes, which tend to occur more frequently during the winter months.

But what can you do to avoid burst pipes in your property? Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance has prepared a video to help you understand.

Visit Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance’s expert guide to find out more information on how to avoid costly repair bills for damage caused by burst pipes in your property.

Hamilton Fraser Total Landlord Insurance has also put together a helpful advice sheet to assist your tenants with preventing pipes from bursting and the steps to take in the event of a burst pipe.

For further guidance on getting your property ready for the winter months visit Get winter ready – everything you need to protect your property.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Watch: How to avoid burst pipes | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: Watch: How to avoid burst pipes

Private landlords have done everything they can to support renters

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Private landlords have been giving more help to tenants who cannot pay their rent as a result of Covid-19 than those in the social sector according to the English Housing Survey published today.

Since the start of the pandemic 6% of private renters had secured a reduction in their rent payments compared to only 2% in the social sector.

The post Private landlords have done everything they can to support renters appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Private landlords have done everything they can to support renters

OFFICIAL: 569,000 private tenants in rent arrears, most recent figures reveal

admin    Uncategorized     agents

At least 569,000 private renters in England were behind on rent or at risk of arrears during the key Covid-impacted summer months, a government survey has found, a figure which is likely to have increased since then.

The Household Resilience Study, conducted in June and July to guage the affect of ‘wave 1’ of Covid, found that 7% of private renters were in rent arrears, up from 3% in 2019-20, with a further 9% very or fairly likely to fall behind with rent payments in the next three months, representing about 290,000 households.

Of those, half had fallen into arrears for the first time after COVID-19 restrictions were introduced, compared with 22% of social renters.

One in 20 private renters and 4% of social renters reported losing their job compared with 3% of owner occupiers, which contributed to the finding that 35% of renters’ household monthly income dropped by at least £100 due to COVID-19.

Almost a fifth of those on furlough were in rent arrears, compared with 9% who weren’t, along with 23% of those on Universal Credit, compared with 7% of those not receiving it.

Alicia Kennedy, director of Generation Rent (pictured) says the figures show just how hard private renters have been hit by the pandemic.

She adds: “Government support has not been enough to stop rent arrears doubling, which is causing severe hardship and crushing the hopes and dreams of thousands.

“To put struggling renters back on their feet, the government must increase Local Housing Allowance to cover average rents and provide grants to clear the rent debts that have built up.”

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – OFFICIAL: 569,000 private tenants in rent arrears, most recent figures reveal | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: OFFICIAL: 569,000 private tenants in rent arrears, most recent figures reveal

PICTURES: £60,000 fine for slum landlord over multiple unlicenced HMOs

admin    Uncategorized     agents

A criminal landlord who housed restaurant workers in dangerous and overcrowded conditions in several unlicensed HMOs has been fined £60,000 with £9,000 costs.

Shen Residences and its former sole director Zhiqiang Shen were found guilty of breaching HMO regulations at the properties where staff at Ipswich’s Spoon World Buffet were sleeping in bunkbeds.

Pictures of the property released to the media include outdoor toilets (pictured) and basins and tiny bedrooms crammed with beds.

The conditions were found to be so dangerous that environmental health officers served an emergency prohibition order banning their use for sleeping with immediate effect.

Lengthy trial

The trial followed a lengthy investigation by Ipswich Borough Council which started in June 2019 after a council tax inspector alerted them to the condition of two neighbouring premises in the town’s Woodbridge Road.

Colchester Magistrates Court heard that despite initial attempts by Shen to mislead the investigation, it emerged that they were used to house workers. 

The two properties and a further building in Granville Street, Ipswich, were visited during early morning operations by police and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority in August and October 2019, and in February 2020.

Shen Residences has been fined £40,000 for the offences, and Shen, of Manor Road, Chatham, Kent, was fined £20,000 along with £8,931 in legal costs and a £190 victim surcharge.

Councillor Alasdair Ross told The Ipswich Star newspaper: “This case shows [we] won’t tolerate residents being put at risk in either sub-standard or unlicensed HMO accommodation and will take the steps to hold to account those responsible for such.”

Read more about recent HMO fines in Ipswich.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – PICTURES: £60,000 fine for slum landlord over multiple unlicenced HMOs | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: PICTURES: £60,000 fine for slum landlord over multiple unlicenced HMOs

Would you put up your rent at the moment? Fewer landlords are doing it, says report

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Most landlords have continued supporting tenants during the pandemic by keeping rent increases at a minimum, according to ARLA Propertymark.

Its November Private Rented Sector report reveals that the number of tenants experiencing a rent increase fell for the third month in a row, with less than one in three (28%) agents seeing landlords increasing rents compared with 37% in October and 40% in September.

Its survey of 209 letting agents shows this is four percentage points lower than in November 2019, when the figure stood at 32%.

But the number of new prospective tenants fell to an average of 65 registered per branch, down from 88 the previous month.

Regionally, the North West had the highest number of new tenants registered per agency branch with an average of 121, while Northern Ireland recorded the lowest number with an average of 26 registered per branch.

ARLA Propertymark reports there was no change in the number of landlords selling their buy-to-let properties, with an average of four per branch in November – the same as one year ago.

Chief policy adviser Mark Hayward (pictured) says the consistent figures illustrate a steady rental market, with letting agents continuing to support landlords and their tenants.

He adds: “The continuing fall of increased rents in particular is testament to the understanding being shown across the sector.

“As the UK experiences ever changing lockdown measures and regional restrictions, it’s vital that tenancies are maintained to keep the rent flowing, as the stability of the private rental sector is essential to the wider economy’s bounce back from the COVID-19 crisis.”

Read more about rents.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Would you put up your rent at the moment? Fewer landlords are doing it, says report | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: Would you put up your rent at the moment? Fewer landlords are doing it, says report

National Residential will solve every landlord problem to sell your buy-to-lets for the best possible price

admin    Uncategorized     agents

If you’re a landlord, and you haven’t yet heard of us here at National Residential, there’s a good chance you’ll want to. Established in 2006, we pride ourselves with our “any problem we can fix” formula, lead by myself, founder and industry expert

The post National Residential will solve every landlord problem to sell your buy-to-lets for the best possible price appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: National Residential will solve every landlord problem to sell your buy-to-lets for the best possible price

BREAKING: £30m fund established to pay for fire alarms within at-risk cladded towers

admin    Uncategorized     agents

The government has intervened once more in the cladding scandal and has established a £30 million fund to pay for the costs of ‘waking watches’ in at-risk tower blocks.

This will be welcome news for the thousands of landlords who own apartments within Grenfell-type towers fitted with the now infamous ACM cladding, and who have been paying for ‘waking watches’ along with other leaseholders.

Waking watches are round-the-clock regular security sweeps of buildings to ensure residents within compromised buildings can be warned earlier if a fire does break out.

In a recent case highlighted this week by the BBC, leaseholders at one block in Bromley has spent £500,000 since the Grenfell tragedy or £300 a month per property owner.

The government says it is now stepping in to pay for eligible towers to have common fire alarm systems installed as quickly as possible to reduce or remove dependence on waking watches.

Significant savings

The housing ministry says some buildings have already installed these systems due to the significant savings this offers, with leaseholders in those buildings, who on average were paying £137 per month for a waking watch, expected to collectively save over £3m per month.

Minister Robert Jenrick says his civil servants has discovered wildly varying waking watch costs and has asked Trading Standards to step in and stop leaseholders being exploited.

The Waking Watch Relief Fund will open in January, although emergency support will be offered to leaseholders who cannot afford to pay for waking watches any longer and have been forced to flee their homes.

“The measures announced today build on our commitment, which will be enshrined in law through our Building Safety Bill, to improve the safety of buildings across the country,” says Building Safety Minister Lord Greenhalgh (pictured).

Read more about the government’s support thus far for landlords caught up in the cladding scandal.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – BREAKING: £30m fund established to pay for fire alarms within at-risk cladded towers | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: BREAKING: £30m fund established to pay for fire alarms within at-risk cladded towers